“You broke my heart, Rhys Penhallow,” she said. “And we curse you. You and your whole stupid, hot line.”

Witches and spells and curses, oh my! Vivi just got her heartbroken after finding out her boyfriend of 3 months is actually engaged back home in Wales. After drinking too much vodka, her and her cousin decided to put a “curse” on the ex boyfriend, not thinking that it will actually work. As her aunt would always say: Never mix vodka and witchcraft.

Nine years later, Rhys Penhallow is back in town and in Vivi’s life. However, once he stepped into Graves Glen, things start going downhill: 1) he almost gets killed, and 2) his magic isn’t working! Not only did the curse affect Rhys, but the town is now under attack with murderous toys and a pissed off ghost. Vivi and Rhys must work together to stop the curse and save the town before it’s too late. Will they be able to reverse the curse without falling for each other again?

“I am mad about you, Vivienne Jones. Again. Or maybe I should say still, because I’m gonna be real honest with you here, cariad. I don’t think it ever went away.”

P.S. Cariad means “love” in Welsh 🥺🤍

🕯READ IF YOU LIKE🕯:
- dual POV
- second chance romance
- lovers to enemies to lovers
- magic x vodka
- wishes, witches & hexes
- small, spooky town
- all the fall vibes
- Hocus Pocus & Halloweentown & Harry Potter & Goosebumps
- cw: death of parent

Thank you to Netgalley x William Morrow and Custom House for the advanced copy! The Ex Hex will be available on September 28, 2021!

I was so excited when I saw that Rachel Hawkins who wrote the Wife Upstairs was writing an adult romcom. This book starts out with Vivienne who is heartbroken cursing her ex with her cousin. The two make up silly things to curse him both knowing that it is not real magic. Nine years later her ex Rhys shows up to refuel the ley lines that run through their town. Rhys is an ancestor of the founder and one of them must be there but as soon as he comes into town his magic starts acting up and things go quickly down hill. Vivienne and Rhys must work together to try and fix their town before it is destroyed. I really enjoyed this book, it felt like a speculative romcom versus an urban fantasy series. Even though this book was dealing with dark topics and ghosts it still felt very light. I was invested in Vivienne and Rhys from the beginning and loved their interactions. Highly recommend this one if you are looking for a fun fall themed romance! Thank you Avon and Netgalley for my gifted copy for review.

Curses and witches and one charming Welsh, oh my! The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling is the perfect paranormal romance for readers who are looking for a sweet, steamy, not so spooky Halloween-like story......a cozy romance, if you will. The paranormal elements give a little mystery and suspense. The actual hex will have you cackling with laughter and all of the characters were simply witchy and wonderful. The Ex Hex is a must read!

Thank you Avon Romance and Netgalley for the advance copy!

This is my first book by Erin Sterling and I am thrilled to have read it! The story is sweet and funny, but intriguing as it twists and turns from fun to serious to frightening and back. Rhys and Vivi are opposites, but you know what they say about opposites! The chemistry crackles between these two, even when they are at odds. The supporting characters are interesting, snarky cousin, wise warm aunt, overbearing pompous father. I hope to read more of this author.

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling is just the romance that will get you into the witchy season!

If you're looking for a light and enchanting romance filled with comedic quips, then look no further! In a town founded by a family of sorcerers, a young Vivienne Jones and Rhys Penhallow had an unremarkable summer. But after a terrible breakup (like leaving your summer lover to end your arranged marriage) results in tears, alcohol, and witchcraft that will cast a curse for the brokenhearted. Years later, the curse gets stronger, and as Rhys returns to the town to strengthen the ley lines, mishap and mayhem ensues. As Viv and Rhys break the curse to save the town, they must revisit the past to fix the future, as well as themselves.

Perfect for those looking for a witchy romantic sizzle for the fall season!

*Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.*

3.5 rounded up!

Nineteen year old Vivienne Jones was drunk and heartbroken when she accidentally cursed her ex Rhys Penhallow who also happens to be the descendant of Grave Glen’s founder. Now nine years later Rhys is back in town to recharge the ley lines during the town’s annual fall festival. Vivi hadn’t given much thought to the curse and thought she was just being silly in the moment all those years ago and that nothing would come of it. Next thing she knows, Rhys’ return to town has caused all of the magic to go haywire. The two must team up and come up with a solution to reverse the curse that is now terrorizing the town.

There was a lot that I liked about this book but I also felt like there was a little bit of “oomph” missing for me. I loved the idea of a witchy romcom and there were plenty of lighthearted, silly moments that made me chuckle. I think what made this story a little lacking for me was the plot and the chemistry between Vivi and Rhys. The curse is wreaking havoc around town but you don’t hear much about it other than a few anecdotes. It also felt like there was a leisurely approach to the curse storyline until the last 20% of the book where it felt rushed through. While I liked both Vivi and Ryhs as characters, I wasn’t super invested in whether or not they got back together. While this might not have been my favorite, I think a lot of readers will enjoy this one! Plus I thought the book had a great fall vibe so you should definitely read this one during the spooky season!

A big thank you to Netgalley, William Morrow and Custom House Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling is out September 28!

The Ex Hex
by Erin Sterling
Pub Date: Sept 28, 2021
Avon

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins, writing as Erin Sterling, casts a spell with a spine-tingling romance full of wishes, witches, and hexes gone wrong.
Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. Not a genre I usually read, but it reminded me of romcom.
The Ex Hex is a fun, witchy, adventurous, and swoony PNR romance. It made me laugh and I enjoyed reading it.

4 stars

This is my favorite fall book so far. I devoured it in one sitting. Basically everything I want in a romcom!! Five out of five stars.

Don't mix vodka and magic. Vivi is heartbroken after Rhys returns to Wales and his "betrothed". She and her cousin place a drunken, joke hex on him. Nine years later when he returns to town, they realize it wasn't a joke, it was strong magic. This quaint Georgia mountain town is a perfect setting for a witchy town and a cast of characters. It's a cute and fun read and would make a good movie.

“Never mix vodka and magic”

Nine years ago, Vivienne was a young witch with a broken heart. With the help of a lot of vodka, a bubble bath, and a bad influence of a cousin, she decides to place a hex on the heartbreaking man. But obviously it wasn’t a real hex. Right? Vivi is about to find out when Rhys Penhallow finally returns to town again.

This book is SO much fun. It’s a second chance romance with the best witchy cursed filled twists. For me, it’s the perfect amount magic, kind of like Sabrina the Teenage Witch. There’s plenty of witchy vibes but it’s still ultimately rooted in the real world.

Speaking of the real word, I’m obsessed with the town of Graves Glen. It’s the cutest small town with sweet traditions, a witchy store, and a lot of magical history. Oh, did I mention Rhys is actually part of the founding family? His strong ties to the town couldn’t keep him away forever.

As for the romance, I loved Vivi and Rhys together. They have an undeniable, magnetic pull toward to each other. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be a bit of snarkiness too. After all, he did break her heart all those years ago. Don’t worry, we don’t dwell on that too much.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Romance for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Solidly in the 3.5 star range for me. I enjoyed the modern setting that blended small town charm, mystery and second-chance romance, all with a dash of witchery. The preface gives us Vivi, a young college student in a whirlwind summer romance that ends badly. Reeling from the crash and burn of her first real love, Vivi, still a somewhat naive witch, goes against her aunt's cardinal rule - never mix vodka with witchcraft. She and her cousin drunkenly hex Vivi's ex, Rhys, never imagining their words had any true power. Skip to 10 years later, when Rhys returns to town to discover his magic has gone haywire. Even worse, he spreads the hex to the magic throughout the community. I liked all of this plot, and the framework of the witchy stuff, and the character dialogue. I felt it took too long to figure out he was hexed, and the story seemed to drag in the middle and lost focus. The resolution and wrap up was jammed into the final 10%. I thought the progression of the romance was predictable. I've enjoyed multiple YA series from this author (published as Rachel Hawkins), as well as her most recent venture into the thriller genre. I would read more in this series if it continues.

In this paranormal romance, perfect for the witchy season, young witch Vivi performs a break up ritual and puts a curse on her ex boyfriend. Assuming this vodka fueled bit of witchery to be harmless she carries on with her life and her ex leaves town. Flash forward nine years, and said ex, the dashing, Rhys Penhallow, returns home and under the spell of an all to real curse.

What ensues as the spark is reignited between Vivi and Rhys is magically hilarious. As the magic in their little town begins to go haywaire, they must find a way to work together to save the town. This is a fun and charming read that evokes autumnal vibes and will make the reader yearn for Halloween. The romance is steamy and the chemistry between the characters is believable. I am not much of a romance reader, but the addition of witches and humor made this one a win for me. Hocus Pocus with a dash of the Witches of Eastwick and a steamy romance included is the recipe for a perfect autumn read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest and fair review.

The Ex Hex is a fun romance and delightful spell of adventure. I loved the quirkiness of the town and the pure enjoyment of reading the predicaments that Vivienne and Rhys got into. This is a diverting read.

Simply adorable. Second chance romances are totally my jam, and clearly Erin Sterling’s as well.

The banter between Vivi and Rhys was sweet, sexy, scintillating, swoon-worthy, and laugh-out-loud at times. The chemistry between these two had the pages smoking hot, but that isn’t what made me absolutely love this book. It’s how these two handled their baggage. Vivi is still, rightfully so, pissed about what caused their break-up. Rhys takes full blame, but these two go beyond that. They recognize that who they were then isn’t who they are now, while still admitting there is chemistry between them. Watching these two get to know each other again (in some comical and sexy scenes) was pure delight.

Rounding out the story is the fabulous family relationships (some good and some a bit of a sticky wicket) and the secondary characters from Vivi’s cousin to the cat. This was the first book for me from Erin Sterling, and I will definitely be reading more from her.

This book was so good! I have read a few other by this author that were thrillers. I thought this one was going to be the same, but I was pleasantly surprised it was not! Vivivans aunt always told her not to mix vodka with magic. Well, heartbroken Vivi and her cousin jokingly set a curse on Rhys. Fast forward 9 years later and Vivi and Rhys run into each other again and you won’t be able to put the book down! I adored the family relationships in this story, and found myself laughing out loud quite a few times! I can’t wait to buy this book when it comes out for my sister!

THE EX HEX by Erin Sterling is CUTE AS HECK.

Nine years ago, Vivienne had her heart broken, and what better way to heal that broken heart than by hexing her ex! Now, ex-boyfriend, Rhys, returns to town and it seems the curse has resulted in more consequences than Vivienne could have imagined.

If you are looking for a fun, steamy, spooky read, look no further. This book is very much ‘Hocus Pocus, but they bang’ and it really was just such a fun and (mostly) lighthearted read! The cast of characters consists of some badass women, a handful of men learning to get over their own egos, and a talking cat??

I honestly haven’t read a ton of witchy books, but Sterling has made me want to devour as many as I can this spooky season! Already looking forward to the next book in this series!

Publication Date: September 28, 2021

*** special thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow/Custom House for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review ***

3.5 rounded to 4

It had all the right elements--the magic of love and also actual magic. Unfortunately it hung on my least favorite trope: non-communication. Vivi and Rhys had a summer fling nine years ago, which ended when he revealed he was betrothed. Two more exchanges could have cleared that up, but instead there was no communication for nine years, and then sparks flew until they finally resolved what would have taken five minutes.

But without that we would have had no story, as there was a totally hilarious curse involved, which in turned triggered a fun plot. The sex was sweet, the magic inventive, and the end satisfying. It would have been a five star read if it hadn't had that negative motivation to overcome during the first half.

Rachel Hawkins’ entry into adult romance was fun and fully captured the witchy atmosphere.

At 19, Vivi just ended a summer fling with Rhys, a fellow witch and descendant of her town’s founder. Drowning in the sorrow of a relationship ended too soon, Vivi and her cousin cursed Rhys, but it was a joke. Nine years later, Rhys returned to Graves Glen and Vivi realized that the hex did more damage than she anticipated.

The Ex Hex was a fun witchy story and I completely fell in love with the atmosphere of Graves Glen where witches hid in plain site. At just over 300 pages, The Ex Hex was a quick read, but I felt that the plot and romance suffered because of this. Rhys and Vivi ended on ugly terms nine years ago, but after a few quips, they two were basically ready to pick up where things left off. Along the same vein, the two running around town trying to break the curse was fun, but the meat of the problem wasn’t revealed until the end of the book.

I don’t have much to say about the audiobook narrator, because the performance didn’t work for me and I quickly went back to the ebook copy. Caitlin Davies’ delivery was rather flat and she didn’t differentiate between the male and female characters. This could have been a fun audiobook experience, but the narrator never captured the fun tone of The Ex Hex.

The Ex Hex is perfect for readers who are looking to start spooky season, but with kissing.

Vivi is broken hearted when Rhys dumps her in college so much so that she places a curse on him. Now this would not be a problem, except Vivi is a witch and curses while even funny ones that make you feel better sometimes might get out of hand when magic is involved. For years Vivi doesn't see Rhys, but when circumstances bring him back into town and back into her life weird things start to happen. Did she really curse him all those years ago, or are things happening just by chance? Will Vivi be able to stop the curse before it hurts not only Rhys, but her town and family.

Overall this is a cute book. The plot line is pretty fast paced and you fall in love with both Vivi and Rhys. Great if you are looking for a light spooky read for the upcoming fall season. Thank you William Morrow and Custom House and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.

What an absolute gem! The Ex Hex is a smart and moody romance that perfectly blends a witchy ambiance with an intriguing plot. Erin Sterling sure knows how to paint an enthralling backdrop: a small southern town with a historic college, a family magic shop, a Fall festival, a ghost that has gotten lost in a library. I wanted to live inside this book and take in the beautiful and escapist setting. Rhys and Vivi are a modern couple and I was cheering them on until the end. This is rom-com as its finest. I can't wait to read more by this author!